First Night with the Runaway Roommate
"Okay, as you were notified in advance, there'll be exams for incoming students over the next week."
"Just how many exams do they give? Aren't there other academies?"
"It's probably because this place has history and tradition—it's the first academy, after all."
"Plus, there are plenty of convenient transport options coming and going, the roads are well-paved... and only here do you have a maritime road."
I asked what a maritime road was, and Kali explained it was a path usable by aquatic beastkin like her. Though sometimes rude people dump waste or trash, making those areas pretty filthy. The route to our academy uses the "underground passage," so it's super clean, she said.
Having grown up in the countryside probably played a part, but man, the world was full of things I'd never even imagined.
"You three in the back—it's great you're friends already, but focus on me, please."
"Ah, sorry, Instructor!"
"I'm just filling in since there's no homeroom professor yet... but yeah, 'Instructor' sounds better."
She decided we'd call her Instructor while she was acting as our temporary homeroom. Then the Instructor started explaining what classes we'd have in our first year.
"As you know, the academy has classes for all sorts of races. For first-years, you'll rotate through every subject."
She rattled off so many subjects afterward that my head started spinning just listening.
"First-years don't have fixed lectures, so it's not about exam scores for promotion—it's based on overall evaluation from all your first-year classes."
Even without that, the Instructor said as long as we behaved and didn't cause trouble, we'd make it to second year no problem.
"Ranking high—including top seat—earns you points, which you can spend on academy perks. From elixirs to all kinds of treasures. Some students even flunk on purpose to farm points. If you're gonna do that, I recommend just picking a professor and enrolling as their undergrad assistant. Points are entirely up to the prof's discretion."
"I heard there's a holy sword here too. Can you buy that with points?"
"It's to encourage studying... The academy awards medals that help with job hunting!"
"Job hunting?!"
I had no idea how you got those medals, but if they helped with jobs, more was better, right?
"Oh, and the first Witchcraft—Aris Witchcraft—once racked up a record-breaking negative 530,000 points, including three years of flunking. For reference, you can still graduate. But negatives come with inconveniences, so best avoid it."
The Instructor advised against flunking too, since you lose a percentage of your held points upon repeating. She also said students could post "requests" via the school system to spend points, with others completing them for exchange. You could earn more through school events too—but stealing points meant expulsion, which explained all the dropouts.
"School records show 1,892 expulsions during the first Witchcraft's six-year enrollment, all from trying to steal her points. Don't worry about grudges with the second-gen Witchcraft, though. They're all dead now."
"Th... natural causes, right?"
"......"
"Natural causes, yeah?! Grand Duke, say something!"
[Kwak kwak kawk kwak!]
Why ask a crow that can't talk? The Grand Duke just tilted his head innocently, enjoying Beatus grooming him. He clearly didn't want to say, so I dropped it.
So the only first-year grudge risk was the top-seat rival, huh. Afterward came rules for students and first-year facilities.
"Take the week to explore slowly and adjust to academy life," the Instructor said, reminding us to buy textbooks before leaving the classroom.
"Better to buy used textbooks, right?"
"First-years get them free."
"Whoa! Why? Tuition's pricey—does that cover it?"
"Heard the first Witchcraft got blocked from buying books, got pissed, and burned every book in the academy."
"Ahh...."
Kali rubbed her chin, saying discrimination against witches was bad back then.
I'd never seen Mom angry, so I couldn't picture it. She was the fragile type who'd cling to me terrified of bugs, begging me to catch them.
"Sigh... I'm worried about Mom, Grand Duke."
[What worry?]
"If she's eating okay, sleeping okay... She's so picky, can't even get up without morning coffee."
[Oh, if this Grand Duke weren't a patient great demon, I'd curse you for that.]
"No...."
Why did everyone else's image of Mom clash so hard with mine? Feeling the disconnect, I got our mountain of textbooks with my friends.
Wondering how to carry them all, they said use the academy-only sub-space bag. It fit tons, which was amazing—but the weight was a downside. I tried toughing it out for training, but the shoulder strain made me yelp and give up.
Schedule done, time to head to the dorms—so we split up.
"Succubi have different dorms. Makes sense, yangseonggu-yu and all."
"I'm big too, so large dorms."
"Guess I'm men's dorm then."
"No you're not."
"Nope."
"Ah."
Their point hit home—I checked, and of course, it was the women's dorm. Duh! No matter how hard I insisted I was a guy, I looked like a girl to everyone! Enrolled as female, witch race—obviously girl! They probably thought I was some poor kid with gender issues or crazy.
Realizing that made me appreciate my two friends even more.
".....Today was exhausting, Grand Duke."
First day: fought the Third Prince, got punched after his friend said I'd make Mom cry, scared off our prof, and first Witchcraft's infamy everywhere. Venting to the Grand Duke, I trudged resignedly to the women's dorm.
Eyes squeezed shut, hand on the wall for guidance, I barely made it to my room without looking.
Noble perks? It seemed bigger than my old home. But first thought wasn't the fluffy bed, fancy furniture, big mirror, vanity, desk—instead, "How do I clean if it gets dirty?" Total commoner worry.
"Ugh... ow... uwaaah...."
Stripped off the uniform, massaged my shoulders, plopped my jiggling chest on the desk. Gonna die... seriously...
All day—walking, breathing, eating, laughing—constant bounce. Shoulders burned, felt like fire inside, hot and throbbing.
"Hate carrying these forever... Wanna go back to male... sob sob..."
Day's end, reflecting on the ordeal, tears welled up again. As a guy, I hardly cried. Girl body? Emotions hit hard, chest heats up, tears ignore my will.
[Hmm, the fix for a boy's pain is women's underwear... compromise?]
"Thanks, but no thanks on the 'adapt' advice...."
The Grand Duke respected me as male. But reality: even insisting, this body was female. This damn huge flesh lump—running hurt.
"....Gotta wear it, huh...."
Till I found a way back to male, adapt to girl body. Stretching, abused back and neck screamed to lie down.
[For now, use this. Not plain bandage—special fabric. Heats to metal-hard. Used as weapon in hell.]
"Ah, thanks!"
Plain ones might burst like today's button fiasco. With his rare bandage, I wrapped tight via mirror, but pathos surged again.
Breathing was tight, but the uncontrolled flesh stopped flailing. Just wrapping eased fatigue some—I vowed inwardly to push on, wiping tears.
Yeah, body's girl, but I'm a guy! Guys don't cry easy! Live like a man!
[Oh, forgot to say—you look busy wrapping.]
"Huh?"
[Dorms are two-per-room. Your roommate's on the bed watching.]
"Ah?"
His words—rusted robot creak, I turned slowly. There sat a light, soft-looking blonde beauty in lacy negligee and nightgown. Her fancy updo screamed noble grace beyond me.
"Hi~ I'm Meru Lume~"
"Uh, uh... Wiyu Witchcraft."
Hand over eyes replying, she just giggled happily.
From today till graduation—under one roof with a girl? Was that okay? Maybe draw curtains?
"S-Sorry for you seeing!! L-Look, I'm a guy, but circumstances..."
Apologized frantically, outed as male—she beamed.
"Hmm~ So can Wiyu turn back to male?"
What kindness...! Not doubting, respecting my claim!
Living with such a sweet girl—my conscience ached...
"No, uh... can't..."
"Then no problem? Body's girl! Let's live together! How about bathhouse with friends?"
"....Bathhouse?"
"Yeah, women's dorm has a huge one?"
Brain froze. Ignoring my shock, Meru chattered about wanting 100 friends, enrolling as commoner for that.
She felt like a "real peer girl"—not fake like me. Realizing I was a perv guy eyeing her PJs, I sighed.
"Guy undies look cool on you too."
Glanced down—my old square briefs.
"Bought negligee for roommate—wanna try?"
She pulled a gift for bonding, stepping closer.
"Time to use what prof taught!"
[Eh? What'd you learn?]
Wiyu Witchcraft smashing through the window in emergency escape. High floor—no time for more, wailing sorry as he fled. Grand Duke watched, smacking lips regretfully.
[Best part's accepting dormmate's gift and changing... oh well, someday.]
Time to fix window and wait—
"Wheee! Looks funnn~!"
Meru Lume leaped after through broken window. Chasing fleeing Wiyu—she always wanted "catch me if you can" with friends. Late-night dorm: girls gawked at scantily clad chase.
"Ahaha~ Bath after fun run and sweat is the best~!"
"Not running for that!!!"
"Ahaha~ We're already super close, right~?"
"Uwaaaaaah!!"